What is your forecast for the 2014 Boston Red Sox season?

Sunday

Mar 30, 2014 at 2:00 AM

Our sports staffers voice their opinions in the Question of the Week.

Frank CoppolaSports editorTwitter: @FCoppolaSMGThe Red Sox return much of the core from last season’s surprising 2013 title team, but expecting another run toward the World Series is foolhardy — unless Magic Johnson and the Dodgers insist on trading Clayton Kershaw. Chances are, Boston will experience a dip this season to around 91 wins. That should be good enough for a second-place finish in the AL East and a spot in the wild-card round. The loss of Jacoby Ellsbury will eventually hurt the lineup, which is a bit too reliant on aging slugger David Ortiz. Shane Victorino is already banged up, and it wouldn’t be human for closer Koji Uehara to repeat his nearly perfect season from a year ago. Key pieces like Clay Buchholz and Grady Sizemore seem destined for the disabled list, which will put more pressure on young studs Xander Bogaerts and Will Middlebrooks. Hopefully Jon Lester’s contract situation won’t be a distraction, and hopefully John Lackey and Felix Doubront will pitch better than they did in Florida. The end result? A loss to the Yankees in the divisional round.

Jay PinsonnaultAsst. sports editorTwitter: @JayPinceSMGChilly — as in stay tuned for another season of October baseball. The Red Sox came out of nowhere last year and won 97 games in the regular season en route to their third World Series championship in 10 years. Boston will not surprise anybody this season, as the core of last year’s team is back sans Jacoby Ellsbury. The loss of the $153M man may not be as bad as Red Sox Nation once feared, as Grady Sizemore showed signs of his former self this spring and sent prized prospect Jackie Bradley Jr., down to Pawtucket. The starting rotation, led by Jon Lester, is arguably one of the best in baseball. Can closer Koji Uehara dominate for a full season? Can Sizemore stay healthy and put up a 20-20 season? Can wonderkid Xander Bogaerts have a breakout season and win Rookie of the Year? Can David Ortiz have another 30 HR, 100 RBI, near .300 season? Can Will Middlebrooks become a productive middle-of-the-order threat? The answers to all of these questions are yes. Hopefully, John Henry saved some champagne from last season, because he’s going to need some more.

Mike ZheStaff writerTwitter: @MikeZhe603Young Xander Bogaerts emerging as a star, getting on that shortstop star track that Nomar found in the late 1990s and preparing to ride it for years to come. David Ortiz heavily showing his age, his 2-for-37 spring chasing him into the regular season and only letting him find a groove in short spurts as his production dips deeper than the Grand Canyon. A center field position that has neither Grady Sizemore (injured) nor Jackie Bradley Jr. (traded) manning it by the time August rolls around. Pedroia being Pedroia. Steps back from starting pitcher John Lackey and Jake Peavy, but Clay Buchholz flirting with 20 wins and Koji Uehara closing in solid, if not lights-out fashion. Add it all up and it’s an 89-73 mark, well off the pace in the AL East but enough to get into a wild-card playoff game against the Yankees, one played at Fenway Park and one that ends with Big Papi popping up to Kelly Johnson in foul territory with the winning run on base in the ninth.

Ryan O’Leary Staff writer Twitter: @RyanOLearySMGThe Vegas line for the Sox is 88.5 wins, dead even with the Yankees and Rays. That seems a bit low — in the same sense that a repeat of last year’s 97 wins feels far too high. My guess is the Sox will pull off 92 wins, get in the win-or-go-home wild-card game and at least have a shot at making another run at the American League pennant. But it’s hard to pencil Boston as this year’s favorite to repeat. Swapping Jacoby Ellsbury for Grady Sizemore in center will prove problematic, especially if Sizemore hits the DL, and there’s no ignoring the fact that the Yankees are improved after adding Ellsbury, Carlos Beltran, Brian McCann and Masahiro Tanaka to the fold. The guess here is the that the Yankees’ spending spree earns them the AL East, the Red Sox edge out the Rays for a wild-card berth, and ultimately, Boston falls short of the Tigers for the AL pennant. It’s tough to expect a repeat in any sport, and after a competitive season overall, no one in Boston will be complaining come October.

Dan DoyonCorrespondentTwitter: @DanDoyon1SMGThe Red Sox pulled off one the most dramatic turnaround seasons in history to win the 2013 World Series championship. The Red Sox thrived under no expectations last year, but now their fans will expect a run toward another title. No team since the 1998-2000 N.Y. Yankees has won back-to-back titles, and it won’t happen again this year. The Red Sox will win 95 games, win the AL East, and have a rematch with Detroit in the ALCS. This time, however, the Tigers will win. Boston’s starting rotation is among the best in baseball, led by Jon Lester, who proved to be a real ace last October. The lineup has the potential to better, as phenom Xander Bogaerts and Will Middlebrooks will emerge as solid middle-of-the-lineup hitters. David Ortiz saved the season with his grand slam in Game 2 of the ALCS last year, and his health is vital. Without him for an extended stretch, the Red Sox will be cooked. The Tigers had the Red Sox on the ropes last year, and they’ll finish the job this year. It won’t mean the season will be a disappointment, but the odds of a repeat are slim.

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